A new manager for Rivages Pro Tech

Last September, Laetitia Jourdan took the reins of this pilot centre of the SUEZ group based at the Izarbel Technology Park. Rivages Pro Tech aims to offer its expertise to new activity sectors. 

The Rivages Pro Tech centre, created in 2006 on the Izarbel site, develops laboratory analysis techniques, digital modelling processes and predictive management processes for pollution in aquatic environments. Laetitia Jourdan, a specialist water engineer, and formerly in charge of the modelling unit, is today responsible for the entire Rivages Pro Tech centre and its team of 14. She replaces Pantxika Fagoaga Otheguy.

While the centre’s internationally-renowned fields of expertise will be maintained, new areas of activity will also be developed. “Based on our two main activities which are modelling using software programs applied to environmental management and analysis of environmental data supplied by sensors and measurements, we are diversifying our range of services. For this, we are improving our operational expertise via R&D projects in partnership with local authorities and using the skills of stakeholders in the region, particularly on the themes of coastal risks such as marine erosion, renewable energy, the quality of drinking water resources and the monitoring of floating waste. The idea is also to target our services at other professionals in the health care, water sports and leisure fields”, explained Laetitia Jourdan

Collaborations are also underway with businesses based on technology parks in the Basque Country Urban Authority area. “For example, we work with the Telespazio group, one of the world leaders in the development of space services which has a research unit based on the Izarbel site. Rivages Pro Tech intends to develop the use of satellite images to boost its ocean observation systems. Another very promising avenue is linked to data-processing sciences, which make software programs more intelligent so that they can learn themselves and help us to foresee dangers, so we can take action at the right moment in the right place” Laetitia Jourdan stated.

These projects are boosting Rivages Pro Tech’s expertise and will enrich the ecosystem supported by the Basque Country Urban Authority around the themes of the blue economy, water quality, and renewable marine energies.

Contact:laetitia.jourdansuez.com